Island Health reports no new cases of COVID-19 in 14 days

A technician prepares COVID-19 coronavirus patient samples for testing at a laboratory in New York's Long Island on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. (AP / John Minchillo)

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VICTORIA --
The Island Health region has reported no new laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 in two full weeks, according to B.C. health officials.

As of May 21, the most recent confirmed case of the virus was found on May 7.

Since the pandemic began, the Island Health region has confirmed a total of 126 cases of COVID-19, according to the B.C. COVID-19 dashboard, which was last updated on May 20.

Of those cases, 120 people have fully recovered from the illness, while 25 people have required hospitalization.

One person in the Island Health region is in hospital for treatment of the virus. That person is the only active case of COVID-19 in the Island Health region currently. Across B.C., there are 307 active cases.

Five people have died of COVID-19 in the Island Health region since the pandemic began.

While the health authority’s confirmed number of COVID-19 cases is promising, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry notes that there may be cases that have not been detected.

Henry urged every community across B.C. to continue to be vigilant for the virus at a daily briefing Thursday.

“We are not catching everybody that has it, we know it’s in all of our communities,” she said.

Meanwhile, health officials say they are not looking at easing restrictions in certain regions of the province, like Vancouver Island, where cases of COVID-19 may be relatively low.

Province-wide, B.C. continues to unroll the second phase of its restart plan, which includes the reopening of many businesses, restaurants and outdoor recreation facilities.